Biography of Bach. The famous portrait of Bach returned to Leipzig

Köthen. Instrumental period Kapellmeister at the court of keyboard orchestral music In Köthen (1717 - 1723) Bach served as Kapellmeister at the court of the Prince of Köthen, where there was no organ. Therefore, Bach wrote mainly keyboard and orchestral music. The composer's duties included leading a small orchestra, accompanying the prince's singing and entertaining him by playing the clavier. Without difficulty, coping with his duties, Bach does everything free time gave to creativity.

Leipzig. Cantata-oratorio period cantor vocal-instrumental compositions In Leipzig (1723 - 1750) Bach took the position of cantor (choir director) of the singing school at the Church of St. Thomas. Bach was obliged to serve the main churches of the city with the help of the school and be responsible for the condition and quality of church music. In Leipzig, Bach created his best vocal and instrumental compositions: cantatas and oratorios.

Fugue Fugue is a form of polyphonic musical work based on the alternation of one theme in all voices. Polyphony is a simultaneous combination of several voices. Polyphony is a type of polyphonic texture based on the simultaneous combination and development of several independent melodic voices. Homophony, one voice dominates Homophony is a type of polyphonic texture in which one voice (melody) dominates, and the other voices accompany. Musical dictionary

Recognition as a performer on the organ and harpsichord Bach's talent was not limited only to the field of composition. He was the best organ and harpsichord player among his contemporaries. And if Bach did not receive recognition as a composer during his lifetime, his skill in improvisations at the organ was unsurpassed. Even his rivals were forced to admit this.

J. S. Bach was not only an excellent composer, but also the best organ and harpsichord performer among his contemporaries. And if Bach did not receive recognition as a composer during his lifetime, his skill in improvisations at the organ was unsurpassed. Even his rivals were forced to admit this.

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MOUDOD "DSHI" Arkadak Prepared by: Piano teacher MOUDOD "DSHI" Arkadak Lazareva Nadezhda Nikolaevna 2012 (1685-1750)

John Sebastian Bach was born in Germany, in the city of Eisenach.

Works by I.S. Bach: Organ Toccata and Fugue in D minor; Toccata Fugue French Suite in C minor: Allemande; Kuranta; Sarabande; Zhiga MOUDOD "DSHI" Arkadak

J. S. Bach was born on March 31, 1685 in a small town in Thuringia - Eisenach, into a family of musicians. Already with early childhood he was preparing, like all his ancestors, for the profession of a musician. His first teacher was his father, a violinist and city musician. Independent life Sebastian's singing began at the age of 15, when he decided to enter the school of singing scholarships at the monastery church. MOUDOD "DSHI" Arkadak

He never parted with his beloved zither, which he played very skillfully. Zither MOUDOD "DSHI" Arkadak

The zither is a plucked string instrument, known since ancient times. She gained particular popularity in mid-19th century. But these days the zither is hardly used. “The music of J. S. Bach is understandable to everyone, both musicians and people far from music,” wrote the famous Swiss pianist Edwin Fischer. Bach’s work is the “focus” in which the musical paths of all mankind came together and then diverged. MOUDOD "DSHI" Arkadak

From 1708 Bach settled in Weimar. During this period, the composer created his best organ works. Among them are the famous Toccata and Fugue in D minor. Toccata is (Italian “toccata”) “touch”, “blow” - a virtuoso piece for keyboard instruments. Note: listening to Bach's Toccata What mood does this music convey? What instrument performs this piece? (Body) MOUDOD "DSHI" Arkadak

The organ was cast in silver, mute, as in the hands of a jeweler, and from afar thunder could be heard, rolling from halfway around the world. The silence of the chandeliers rested And in their lifeless glow It was not the organ that played, but the wall, Decorated with the organ. Turning the beams like an elephant, And, freeing itself from the logs, the Choral emerged, like Samson, from the masonry where it was walled up. Boris Pasternak MOUDOD "DSHI" Arkadak

I.S. Bach created not only organ works, but pieces for clavier and harpsichord. For example, French Suite in C minor. The suite consists of four parts: Allemande; Kuranta; Sarabande; Gigue Note: listening to fragments of the suite. MOUDOD "DSHI" Arkadak

Which dance from the suite is depicted in the painting? MOUDOD "DSHI" Arkadak

Three-manual harpsichord Harpsichord XVII century MOUDOD "DSHI" Arkadak

The only joy throughout my life was creativity and family. The grown-up sons - Wilhelm Friedemann, Philipp Emmanuel, Johann Christian - turned out to be talented musicians. Even during their father's lifetime they became famous composers. Anna Magdalena Bach, the composer's second wife, was distinguished by her great musicality. She sang well eldest daughter Bach. Therefore, music was often played in his house. For his family, Bach composed vocal and instrumental ensembles. MOUDOD "DSHI" Arkadak

Family of J. S. Bach MOUDOD "DSHI" Arkadak

In 1717, Bach and his family moved to Köthen. In Köthen, Bach wrote mainly keyboard and orchestral music. Two- and three-voice inventions (sinphonies) and a polyphonic cycle of 24 preludes and fugues were written here. Bach's main job - the head of a school of singers - brought him nothing but grief and trouble. The funds allocated by the church for the school were so insignificant that the singing boys were hungry and poorly dressed. The level of their singing abilities was also low. MOUDOD "DSHI" Arkadak

From Köthen in 1723, Bach moved to Leipzig, where he remained until the end of his life. Here he holds the position of director of the singing school choir. However, as before, his creative possibilities limited: Bach must compose music for the church that “would not be too long, and also ... opera-like, but that would arouse reverence in the listeners.” In Leipzig, Bach created his best vocal and instrumental compositions: most cantatas, St. Matthew Passion, Italian Concerto. MOUDOD "DSHI" Arkadak

The last years of the composer's life were marred by a serious eye disease. After an unsuccessful operation, Bach became blind. But even then he continued to compose, dictating his works for recording. Bach's death went unnoticed. They soon forgot about him. His grave disappeared under the pavement during the redevelopment of the church yard. The fate of Bach's wife and youngest daughter turned out sadly. Anna Magdalena died ten years later in a poor house. Youngest daughter Regina eked out a miserable existence. IN last years Beethoven helped her in her difficult life. MOUDOD "DSHI" Arkadak

J. S. Bach - years of life 1685 - 1750, great German composer; representative of the Baroque era; consummate organist; Great master polyphony. Main periods of life: Weimar - Köthen - Leipzig Musical dictionary: Homophony is a type of polyphonic texture in which one voice (melody) dominates, and the other voices accompany. Polyphony is a type of polyphonic texture based on the simultaneous combination and development of several independent melodic voices. Fugue - “running” - polyphonic polyphony based on the development of one theme. Mass - “mass” - a genre of Catholic church service. MOUDOD "DSHI" Arkadak

GREAT BACH. For the composer's birthday

Gleb Semyonov

Bach

I don’t believe it, no, I’m not an organist
He threw me into dust!
Stones were flying from top to bottom,
And the souls from below go up.

There was everyone again out of nothing
Beautifully created.
O you blind triumph
Banners, tribes, times!

The vanity of intrigue, the vanity of faith,
The vanity of lofty words...
There is a person's first cry,
Love's sudden call.

There is good work from year to year
And rest on the seventh day.
And time never stops passing,
Like the sky above the earth.

What's the difference: a candle
Or millions of candles?
What's the difference: brocade
Or rags from your shoulders?

Be heroic, be ashamed, sin, -
Behind life there is only death.
Only in rare glimpses of the soul
The third firmament shines.

There, above the ruins of eras,
With a smile on your lips,
Bach and God are having a conversation,
Gray-haired God and Bach.

Bach is not new, not old, he is something much more - he is eternal...
R. Schumann

E.G. Hausmann. Portrait of I.S. Bach. 1747.

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (Bach)

(21 III 1685, Eisenach - 28 VII 1750, Leipzig)

Bach is a paradoxical composer. This is one of the paradoxes. Despite the fact that Bach occupies the first place in any list of the most frequently performed composers, he does not have melodies that we would whistle or hum in a moment of sadness or joy - the first sign of popularity. And this despite the fact that Bach has incomparable pages of sad music and joyful music! The popularity - extraordinary - of the brilliant Bach is of a different kind than the popularity of the mellifluous Johann Strauss, for example.

The year 1520 marks the root of the branchy genealogical tree of the ancient burgher family of the Bachs. In Germany, the words "Bach" and "musician" were synonymous for several centuries. However, only in the fifth generation “from their midst... came a man whose glorious art radiated such bright light that the reflection of this radiance fell on them too. That was Johann Sebastian Bach, the beauty and pride of his family and fatherland, a man who, like no one else, was patronized by the Art of Music itself." So wrote in 1802 I. Forkel, the first biographer of the composer at the dawn of the new century, for the century of Bach said goodbye to great cantor immediately after his death. But even during his lifetime, the chosen one of the “Art of Music" could hardly be called the chosen one of fate. Outwardly, Bach’s biography is no different from the biography of any German musician at the turn of the 17th-18th centuries. Bach was born in the small Thuringian city of Eisenach, located near the legendary Wartburg Castle, where in the Middle Ages, according to legend, the color of the Minnesang converged, and in 1521-22 the word of M. Luther was heard: in Wartburg the great reformer translated the Bible into the language of his fatherland.

J. S. Bach was not a child prodigy, but by the age of 17 he owned the harpsichord, violin, viola, organ, sang in the choir, and after his voice mutation acted as a prefect (assistant cantor). In 1702, a fairly educated musician emerged from the walls of the Michaelschule. A constant desire for improvement marked his musical career, which, according to the tradition of the time, was associated with the church, city or court. Not by chance, which provided this or that vacancy, but firmly and persistently he rose to the next level of the musical service hierarchy from organist (Arnstadt and Mühlhausen, 1703-08) to accompanist (Weimar, 1708-17), bandmaster (Koethen, 1717 -23), finally, cantor and director of music (Leipzig, 1723-50). At the same time, next to Bach, the practical musician, Bach the composer grew and gained strength, in his creative impulses and achievements he stepped far beyond the specific tasks that were set before him.

Bach wrote more than 1000 musical works. Today, each of the famous works is assigned a BWV number (short for Bach Werke Verzeichnis - catalog of Bach's works). Bach wrote music for different instruments, both spiritual and secular.

During his life, Bach was best known as a first-class organist, teacher and composer organ music. He worked both in the “free” genres traditional for that time, such as prelude, fantasy, toccata, passacaglia, and in more strict forms - chorale prelude and fugue.

Toccata & Fugue D minor BWV 565. Toccata

Toccata & Fugue D minor BWV 565. Fugue

FANTASIA BWV 562 C MINOR

PRELUDE BWV 846

Bach wrote music for both individual instruments and ensembles. His works for solo instruments - 6 sonatas and partitas for solo violin, 6 suites for cello, and partita for solo flute - are considered by many to be among the composer's most profound works.

Suites for solo cello

SUITES NO. 1 - COURANTE

SUITES NO. 2 - ALLEMANDE

SUITE NO. 4 - BOURREE 1

In addition, Bach composed several works for solo lute. He also wrote trio sonatas, sonatas for solo flute and viola da gamba.

Sonatas for viola da gamba and harpsichord

SONATA IN G MAJOR - ANDANTE

SONATA IN G MINOR - VIVACE

Most famous works Bach for orchestra - Brandenburg Concertos. They were so called because Bach, having sent them to Margrave Christian Ludwig of Brandenburg-Schwedt in 1721, thought of obtaining employment at his court; this attempt was unsuccessful. Six concertos are written in the genre of concerto grosso. The number 6, often found in Bach, symbolizes the six “working” days of creation. Other extant works by Bach for orchestra include two violin concertos, a concerto for 2 violins in D minor, and concertos for one, two, three and even four harpsichords.

Among chamber works We should especially highlight the second partita for violin, in particular the last part - Chaconne. The violinist exists before or after Bach's Chaconne. Among his solo sonatas and partitas, the Chaconne is a miracle of miracles.

Anna Akhmatova was shocked by this work. She heard him in the living room of the Gumilevs’ house. After this, references to “Chaconne” will appear in Akhmatova’s works.

And that night I dreamed of your arrival
He was in everything... And in Bach's Chaconne,
And in the roses that bloomed in vain...

This poem was originally titled "December 27, 1940," indicating the date on which Akhmatova began writing "Poem Without a Hero."
In the poem itself there is a mention of "Chaconne":

I'm completely frozen with fear,
I'd rather click on Bach's Chaconne.
And a man will come in behind her...
He will not become my dear husband,
But he and I deserve it,
That the Twentieth Century will be embarrassed.

Partita 2 - Ciaccona

(performed by Yehudi Menuhin)

Numerous "lite" and "modern" versions of his works contributed to the popularization of Bach's music in the 20th century. Among them are today's well-known tunes performed by the Swingle Singers and Wendy Carlos's 1968 recording of "Switched-On Bach", which used the newly invented synthesizer. Processed Bach's music and jazz musicians, such as Jacques Lussier. The New Age arrangement of the Goldberg Variations was performed by Joel Spiegelman. Among Russian contemporary performers Fyodor Chistyakov tried to pay tribute to the great composer in his solo album 1997 “When Bach wakes up.”

However, awareness of musical and pedagogical value his works, interest in Bach's music gave rise to a new movement among performers: the idea of authentic performance (or “historically oriented performance”) became widespread. Such performers, for example, use a harpsichord instead of a modern piano and smaller choirs than was common in the 19th and early 20th centuries, wanting to accurately recreate the music of Bach's era.

Motif B-A-C-H

It is formed from sounds corresponding to the letters of the surname BACH. How does this happen?

Everyone knows that notes have names. The history of their origin is long, and it is not what we are interested in in this case interested. Let's just say that in the Russian language the names of notes do, re, mi, fa, etc., which came from Latin language(acrostic of one Latin hymn). But there is - and is no less widespread - an alphabetic (Latin alphabet) system. According to this system, the letters of the surname "Bach" have musical meaning: B - B-flat, A - A, C - C, N - B.

Bach knew about this musical features his surname and played on this motive.

Wenzel I.S. Bach - one of the most beautiful monograms (the figure in the center). She adorns every volume of the New full meeting works of the composer (Neue Ausgabe samtlicher Werke; abbreviated as NBW). And if you consider that this is not just an exquisite ornament, but a pattern that has a deep and highest degree individual - and therefore unique - meaning, it will become clear that the drawing can not only be enjoyed, but must also be understood. Once we have broken down the monogram into its elements, it becomes quite clear that these are the composer's initials, written traditionally (the element is shown on the left), and their mirror reflection(shown on the right). Now that we see these elements individually, they are easy to recognize in the monogram. But that's not all there is to the monogram. She is crowned with a crown. The inclusion of a crown in the monogram is explained by the fact that Bach at that time was awaiting his appointment as court composer to the Elector of Saxony.

J S B Final J S B

Option (mirror)

It is noteworthy that this monogram is depicted on a crystal goblet given to Bach in 1735.

Above the monogram is the inscription: “Vivat”. On the opposite side is the name of Bach, written in notes:

B - A - C - N, implying the “Bach number” - 14. By the way, an indication of this number is also in the monogram: it corresponds to fourteen petals decorating the outer contour of the picture.

So, we see that the monogram contains many symbolic details. Bringing them into some kind of artistic unity, even for Bach, with his amazing ability to invent and combine more and more new forms, was apparently not an easy task. To that the final result he came after a series of searches. Evidence of one of the stages of work has reached us. In 1733 his monogram was:

This monogram cannot be denied ingenuity and a certain elegance, although it is also obvious that final version in all respects richer, more formal and more meaningful.

And the last parallel: in many of Bach’s works, especially for solo instruments, one can find melodic phrases, usually at the end, which, both in their notation and in their semantic meaning, are akin to the final stroke of the pen - Bach’s signature, after which the cadence that concludes the work is associated With a stamp.

Original taken from davydov_index Bach is both a brilliant musician and a father of 20 children!

March 21 is the birthday of the outstanding German composer Johann Sebastian Bach. His musical heritage has entered the golden fund of world culture and is well known to connoisseurs of the classics, but his personal fate is rarely discussed. But Johann Bach was a representative of one of the most “musical” families in history: in total, there are 56 musicians and composers in his family. Johann Bach himself became the father of 20 children!

Balthazar Denner. Johann Sebastian Bach with his sons.

Johann Sebastian Bach was born into the family of musician Johann Ambrosius. The boy was the youngest in the family, he had 7 brothers and sisters, among whom Johann Christoph also showed outstanding abilities. Johann Christoph served as an organist, and after the death of his father and mother he decided to teach younger brother music. Following in the footsteps of his father and older brother, Johann Sebastian also chose the path of composition for himself; he studied at vocal school St. Michael. Starting his search for work, Johann Sebastian first found a job as a court musician in Weimar, and later was caretaker of the organ in Arnstadt.

In Arnstadt, Bach falls in love with his cousin Maria Barbara. Despite the family connection, the lovers decide to get married. Their living together was short-lived (Maria died at the age of 36), but the marriage produced 7 children, four of whom survived. Among them were two future composers - Wilhelm Friedemann and Carl Philipp Emmanuel.

Portrait of Johann Sebastian Bach.

Johann Sebastian took the loss of his wife hard, but a little later less than a year fell in love again. This time his chosen one was a very young person - Anna Magdalena. The girl was then 20 years old, and famous musician- 36. Despite the large age difference, Anna Magdalena coped well with her responsibilities: she ran the household, became a caring stepmother for the already grown children, and, most importantly, was sincerely interested in her husband’s successes. Bach saw remarkable talent in the girl and began to give her singing and music lessons. Anna enthusiastically mastered a new area for herself, learned scales, and practiced singing with children. The Bach family gradually expanded; in total, Anna Magdalena gave her husband 13 children. The huge family often got together in the evenings, holding impromptu concerts.

Johann Bach and his wife Anna Magdalena Bach.

In 1723, concerned about the future of his children, Bach moved his family to Leipzig. Here his sons were able to receive a good education and start musical career. Anna Magdalena continued to take care of her husband, in addition to household chores, she found time to rewrite notes and create copies of choral parts. Anna Magdalena undoubtedly had a musical gift, more about this in research creative heritage Bach says Australian scientist Martin Jarvis. In his opinion, the composer’s wife even wrote several works for him (in particular, the aria from the “Goldberg Variations” and the first prelude to the cycle of works “The Well-Tempered Clavier” raise doubts). He came to such conclusions on the basis of a handwriting examination.

Johann Christian Bach, musician, most younger son composer.

Be that as it may, Anna Magdalena devoted herself entirely to caring for her husband. At the end of his life, Bach's vision deteriorated sharply; cataract surgery led to complete blindness. Anna Magdalena continued to record his works, and her husband highly appreciated her dedication.

Portrait of Johann Sebastian Bach.

Johann Sebastian Bach died in 1710 and was buried near the Church of St. John. Ironically, the grave of the genius was lost, and only in 1984 his remains were accidentally discovered during the reconstruction of the church. The reburial took place six years later.

Perhaps the most famous portrait in history classical music Since June 2015 it has been located in Leipzig again. The painting has come a long way.

Portrait of Bach by Elias Gottlob Hausmann returned to Leipzig

"Bang home again!" - the residents of Leipzig rejoice. At the Bach Museum (Bach Museum Leipzig), located in the former school building at the Church of St. Thomas, where Johann Sebastian Bach once taught ( Johann Sebastian Bach), a new sensational exhibit has appeared, and what a one! It's about about the only lifetime portrait of the great composer, about which it is absolutely known that it is an original and that it is Bach who is depicted in it (there are certain doubts regarding other portraits).

Portrait of Bach, 1748

In addition, the canvas of work German artist Late Baroque era Elias Gottlob Hausmann ( Elias Gottlob Haußmann) has a high artistic quality, Bach on it is “as if alive.” It is this portrait, in numerous copies, that defines Bach's iconography throughout the world.

Long way home

The fact that the unique portrait would return to Leipzig, where it was painted more than two and a half centuries ago, became known at the end of 2014. Then the will of the American philanthropist William Scheide, who died in November last year, was announced. Entrepreneur Scheide, amateur musician and passionate fan Bach, bequeathed to the Bach Archives in Leipzig a painting that he himself acquired at auction in 1952.

John Eliot Gardiner during a conversation DW

The transfer, according to the Bach archive, took place at the end of April in New York: to the mayor of Leipzig Burkhard Jung ( Burkhard Jung) the painting was given by the widow of the late Judith Scheide. At the opening of the Bach Festival in Leipzig on June 12, the famous portrait was presented to the public in Germany for the first time after 265 years.

The famous British conductor and subtle connoisseur music of Bach Sir John Eliot Gardiner. It was he who advised Scheide to transfer the painting to Leipzig and personally participated in the return. The British specialist in the field of authentic performance has a unique family history associated with the film.

As a child, Sir John had the opportunity to see this painting every day, which was located in his father's house in Dorset for several years. The painting was given to him for safekeeping by its former owner, a Jewish refugee from Germany, Walter Jencke ( Walter Jenke). “I grew up watching John Sebastian Bach,” Gardiner joked in an interview with a German radio station. Deutschlandradio Kultur. At that time, Bach’s gaze seemed “extremely stern” to him. He passed by the portrait every day with reverent fear. “That was the time when I was memorizing Bach’s motets,” recalls Gardiner. Later he got used to the portrait and was no longer afraid of Bach on the wall.

That's what he is, Bach...

As agreed with the customer, Hausman painted a portrait of Bach in two copies, in 1746 and 1748. More early version The paintings are kept in the Leipzig City History Museum, but were badly damaged in the last century from improper restoration. The second of the portraits was luckier; the colors on it literally shine.

Bach posed for Hausmann when he was approximately sixty years old. He is dressed in a ceremonial camisole and holds in his hands a sheet of music with a recording of his work." Canon triplex à 6 Voc: per J.S. Bach"Some of the viewers believe that the artist naturalistically drew the thin red veins on the nose of the composer, who loved tobacco and red wine.

The cost of the portrait is estimated at 2.5 million euros.